diff --git a/DCAMCamera/blacs_tabs.py b/DCAMCamera/blacs_tabs.py
index b55abdf431c570e2e71c8c4bd72095988612b870..ac3d46fd95f8ce2453727b0105a161608861ee59 100644
--- a/DCAMCamera/blacs_tabs.py
+++ b/DCAMCamera/blacs_tabs.py
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ class DCAMCameraTab(IMAQdxCameraTab):
             ],
             'mock': connection_table_properties['mock'],
             'image_receiver_port': self.image_receiver.port,
-            'occupation_receiver_port' : connection_table_properties['occupation_receiver_port']
+            'occupation_receiver_port' : connection_table_properties.get('occupation_receiver_port',None)
         }
         self.create_worker(
             'main_worker', self.worker_class, worker_initialisation_kwargs
diff --git a/DCAMCamera/blacs_workers.py b/DCAMCamera/blacs_workers.py
index 65f655f134fb66ab2a3e79c4e598eb79d25a6a2d..b5e6026500d5dfe27f5b4c205ff3f5ad1d7b842b 100644
--- a/DCAMCamera/blacs_workers.py
+++ b/DCAMCamera/blacs_workers.py
@@ -320,7 +320,7 @@ class DCAMCameraWorker(IMAQdxCameraWorker):
 
             ### ADDED CODE TO PASS OCCUPATION RECEIVER ARGUMENTS TO grab_multiple() ###
             self.images = []
-            if properties["occupation_receiver_image_index"] is not None:
+            if properties.get("occupation_receiver_image_index", False):
                 tweezers_centers = f["globals"].attrs["tweezers_centers"]
                 thresholds = f["globals"].attrs["tweezers_thresholds"]
                 ROI_size = f["globals"].attrs["tweezers_ROI"]